Pneumatic action for player-pianos.



0. HIGEL.

PNEUMATIC ACTION FOR PLAYER PIANOS.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 23. I9I4.

1,155,571. Patented 06151915.

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OTTO HIGEL, OF TORONTO,

union CANADA.

curante,

PNEUMATIC .ACTION FOR PLAYER-PIANOS.

Application led November 23, 1914.

. T all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, OTTO HIGEL, of the city of rloronto, in the county of York, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Actions for Player- Pianos, of which the lfollowing is the specification.

My invention relates to improvements in player pianos and the object of the invention is to devise an end duct which may be formed of lmetal for supporting the bars forming the vacuum valve chests of the pneumatic action, in which there will be no danger of shrinkage and consequent leakage and which will be compact and durable and it consists essentially of a hollow metal post forming a vertical duct having vertical side flanges and top and bottom lateral flanges, such post being formed of material unaffected by temperature changes and open at both ends and having slotted side openings in Vits inner side, surrounding flat bearing faces extending Varound such openings and against which the barsforming the vacuum valve chests bear, screws extending through said vertical side flanges into the ends of the bars, laterally extending lugs on which the aforesaid bars rest and a metallic foot formed of similar material to the post on which the post is supported and through which the duct leads and a pipe extending freely through the key board from the foot piece to the bellows as hereinafter more particularly explained by the following specification.

Figure l, is a side elevation showing my end post and adjacent parts. Fig. 2, is an end elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3, is an enlarged sectional view through line x-g/ Fig.2. Fig. 4, is a perspective detail of my end post looking from the inner side. Fig. 5, is a plan section on line m-y Fig. 3.

In the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

A is my end post provided with a vertical duct A. The post is formed of metal or other material which will not swell or shrink when subjected to change of temperature rendering the joints leaky.l

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 5, 1915.

Serial No. 873,519.

A2 are side slotted openings extending through the inner wall of the post leading into the duct A.

A3 are fiat bearing faces extending around the slot openings A2 for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

A1 are vertical flanges extending from eah side of the post A flush with its inner sic e.

A5 is a flange enlargement'formed at the upper end of the post provided with a central orifice A6.

AT are threaded orifices located at each side of the orifice AG.

The lower end of the post is provided with a flanged portion A8 having a forwardly extending portion having a downwardly inclined upper face A9.

It will be noticed on referring to Fig. 4 that the lower edge of each bearing face A1 extends rearwardly at a downward incline and is provided with laterally extending bearingl lugs A10 and A11.

A11 are orifices formed in the flanges A1.

B are the bars forming the vacuum valve chest. The ends of the bars` rest upon the lugs A10 and A11 and bear against the flat bearing face A3.

C are screws (see Figs. 2 and 5) which extend through the orifice A12 into the bars B.

D is the usual upper rail of the action into which the duct A of the end post leads.

E is a metallic foot on which the end post is supported. The foot E is provided with an opening E in a line with the lower end of the duct A.

E2 is a hollow boss into which extends a tube E3 connected to the bellows of the player piano. The tube F13 forms an extension of the duct A.

F is an upturned hook portion provided with an inclined face F corresponding with and designed to extend in close proximity to the upper face A1 hereinbefore described.

F2 is a Set screw extending through the portion F against the face A9.

F3 is a screw which extends at a forward incline through the rear portion of the flange A8 into the foot piece.

The end of each bar B is provided with suitable leathers B to render the connection between trie bars and post A air tight, the ends of the bars B being` drawn up against the bearing face A3 by the screws C.

B4 is a packing piece having suitable leathered upper and lower faces inserted between the lower end of the post A and the foot piece E.

The tube E3 extends freely through the key board 2 to the bellows.

By this means I have provided a metallic connection between the bellows and bars forming the vacuum valve chest which will not be subject to such expansion and contraction as to render the joints subject to leakage. Y A

j ,Vhat I claim as my invention is- 1. In a player piano pneumatic action, the combination with the bars forming the vacuum valve chests, and a hollow end post having' side openings in the inner wall thereof designed to register with the openings in the ends of the bars, of bearing faces surrounding said openings and laterally projecting valve chest bar supporting lugs extending from said faces, as and for the purpose specilied. Y

2. In a player piano pneumatic action, the combination with the bars forming the vacuum valve chests, of a vertical metallic end post having side openings registering with the open ends of the bars, flat bearing faces surrounding said openings against which the ends of the bars bear, said faces proj ccting beyond said post to form vertical flanges extending laterallj7 from the end post and means for securing said bars to said flanges, as and for the purpose specilied.

3. In a player piano pneumatic action, the combination with the bars forming the vacuum valve chests, of an end post having a channel extending vertically therethrough and having side openings extending through the inner side of the post to the vertical channel, an extension extending forwardly from the lower end of the post and having a downwardly inclined upper face, a block 'secured to the base having a correspondingly inclined lower face bearing against the inclined face of the front extension of the end post, and means for securing said front extension of the post into the base, as and for the purpose specified.

4L. In a player piano pneumatic action, the combination with the bars forming the vacuum valve chests, of a vertical metallic end post having side openings registering with the open ends of the bars, flat bearing faces surrounding such opening against which the ends of the bars bear, lugs extending laterally from the lower edge of each bearing face and on which the aforesaid bars are supported, and vertical flanges extending laterally from the end post and screws extending through such flanges into the ends of the aforesaid bars, as and for the purpose specified.

5. In a player piano, the combination with the key board and the valve chest bars, of an end post having a vertical duct with which the valve chest bars communicate, a horizontal flange surrounding the lower end of the post and having a downwardly inclined front extension, a foot piece having an orifice therein registering with the lower end of the vertical duct, an upwardly inclined hook portion extending over the inclined extension of the post, a set screw extending therethrough against such extension, and a screw extending through the rear end of the surrounding post flange into the foot piece, as and for the purpose specified.

OTTO HIGEL.

Witnesses:

E, PENNOCK, M. EGAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C." 

